Guardian
by Ketsueki karasu
Summary: No one ever knew that Naruto had a secret guardian
1. Team 7 meets Karasu

Author notes: I only own Ketsueki Karasu. Someone else owns the Naruto series.  
  
Summary: After Naruto and others got Sasuke back from Orochimaru, things start to go back to the way they were, sort. Everyone is keeping a close eye on Sasuke. Sakura is having feelings for Lee. And Naruto's greatest secret is being revealed and it is not Kyubi.  
  
Chapter 1: Team 7 meets Karasu  
  
"Ne, Karasu-chan." Naruto said sitting at the bridge. He arrived earlier than usual.  
  
"Hai, Naruto-chan." A figure sat down next to the genin. They were silent for several minutes as they watched the sun rise.  
  
"Is everything alright now?" Silence.  
  
"Orochimaru will be back, but not anytime soon. For now, everything is alright. You did good bring the cocky Uchiha back. This village should be lucky to have you." Karasu smiled.  
  
"Thanks...for everything."  
  
"Thank me by continue reaching for your dreams."  
  
"One day we should spar."  
  
"Maybe." With that, the strange boy vanished. At the same time, Uchiha Sasuke arrived.  
  
"Who were you talking to?" Sasuke asked.  
  
"N..." He was about to reply that it wasn't his business, until a voice in his head spoke.  
  
Ne, Naruto-chan, tell him. The voice said.  
  
"My guardian."  
  
"Guardian?"Sasuke asked confused.  
  
"He has been protecting me since I was a baby. Since I became a genin, he has backed off." Naruto said as if it were a everyday subject like the weather.  
  
"Hi Sasuke-Kun! Naruto!" Haruno Sakura greeted as she arrived. She was very happy to have things back to normal. "Who is that?" Sakura pointed to the strange boy next to Naruto.  
  
The strange boy had long sleeve red see through shirt with black tank top underneath, arms bandaged to elbows and bandages on both shoulders, black fingerless gloves, and black pants that barely reach his ankles. He had a red and black feather attached to a stripe of black leather in his hand.  
  
"I am Ketsueki Karasu. Ne, Naruto-chan, this is a tail feather from a Red Raven youngling before they mature and get big as Rousai. This has a clip so you aren't bothered by strings. This is yours, you've finally earned the privileged to wear one." Sasuke noticed it was the same type of necklace that Karasu wore.  
  
"Thank you, Karasu-chan." Naruto said as Karasu putting it on him.  
  
The tender moment was broken when Jounin, Anbu, Jiraiya, and the fifth Hokage surrounded Team 7. Karasu took a protective stance in front of Naruto.  
  
"Ketsueki Karasu, you are under arrest." The Fifth Hokage said.  
  
TBC...  
  
That is it for the moment. I work really good with reviews.  
  
Glossary:  
  
-chan = this suffix is used like -kun, but for girls. It can  
  
also be used as a friendly familiarity  
  
Ketsueki - Blood  
  
Karasu - Raven 


	2. Early Arrivals, Bells, and Secret Meetin...

[1] IMPORTANT NOTICE - I changed Karasu's Obaa-san to Rousai in Ch. 1 so it doesn't get confused with Naruto calling Tsunada, Obaa-san.  
  
Karasu's mindspeech  
  
'Sasuke's mindspeech'  
  
:Naruto's mindspeech:  
  
/Sakura's mindspeech/  
  
Chapter 2: Early Arrivals, Bells, and Secret Meetings  
  
"Ketsueki Karasu, you are under arrest." The fifth Hokage said.  
  
"What?! Obaa-san! [1]" Naruto said. He was confused. Weren't things suppose to go back to normal?  
  
"Eh, Naruto-chan, don't worry. Things aren't always as they seem. I'll just go see what they want. Ne?" Karasu spoke in a calm voice as he approached the fifth. Besides, I am too far.  
"Right!" Naruto said giving a smile, masking his worry. He watched as Karasu and Hokage disappear around a bend in the path. The Jounins and Anbu seemed to have vanished.  
  
"A genjutsu." Sasuke said. "None of them were real. Your 'guardian' is probably walking into a trap."  
  
"We should..." Naruto never did finish his sentence when a familiar voice greeted them.  
  
Hatake Kakashi had arrived and greeted with a, "Yo." He was still reading his favorite perverted book.  
  
"Hey, you are two hours...early!" Sakura and Naruto yelled.  
  
"Today's mission is to find these bells...as a team. There are thirty bells. Ten are marked 1, ten are marked 2, and the last ten are marked 3. Sakura can only pick up and carry the bells marked 1. Sasuke can only pick up and carry the bells marked 2. And Naruto can only pick up and carry the bells marked 3. They are everywhere in Konoha."  
  
"Easy." Naruto said with a grin.  
  
"Another thing, you aren't going home until all the bells are collected and returned here. And be ready for anything. Go." Kakashi said. He got into a relaxing position and continued his reading.  
As Team 7 genins started to leave, Naruto gave one more glance at the bend in the path before going off to the mission.  
  
======------=====----=====-----====-----==-------==----====-----  
  
Karasu continued to follow the Fifth into a more isolated part of the training area. Then she suddenly disappeared into a puff of smoke. Every thing was quiet, too quiet.  
  
"Ne, Itachi-kun, you call that a subtle message? You might as well have wrote invitations to every ninja in the village. Any idiot, not to insult Naruto-chan, could figure out that was a Kage Bunshin and a genjutsu." Karasu said leaning against a tree.  
  
"Bring the demon to me." Uchiha Itachi said from the shadows.  
  
"Eh, Itachi-kun. Gomen. I out rank you and Orochimaru combined together. I give orders and not take them. And the child is under my care and protection. You want him, come and get him, but you first have to go through me."  
  
"Akatsuki don't like traitors." An another figure said in the shadows.  
  
"Kisame, that is being a hypocrite. Everyone part of the Akatsuki Organization is a traitor to one village or another."  
  
"What village did you come from? Maybe you are a spy?" Kisame said coming out of the shadows and pointing his sword at the strange boy.  
  
Karasu smirked and stayed where we was.  
  
"Kisame, put the sword away. He'll answer those questions upon his death." Itachi said also coming out of the shadows.  
  
"We'll see." The boy approached Itachi until their faces where inches apart. Karasu's nose reached Itachi's chin. "Though there are so much better ways to get such information. Ne?" Karasu grazed his lips against Itachi's before vanishing.  
  
===----===----===----====----====----==----===----=-----======------=======- ----  
  
"Where are those stupid bells?" Naruto asked in frustration. They have been combing the forest and the streets for the bells have not seen one. I was already one in the afternoon. "And where the hell is Karasu- chan!"  
  
You called? The familiar voice spoke in Naruto's head.  
  
"Did you hear that? The voice in the head?" Sakura asked. Sasuke nodded.  
  
I use a little bit chakra to speak in your heads. This way, I can talk to you all without myself being seen. Continue walking and use your thoughts to talk to me and each other. Karasu said.  
  
'Interesting technique.' Sasuke thought spoke.  
  
:Karasu-chan, have you seen any bells around marked with either a 1, 2, or 3?: Naruto asked.  
  
/NARUTO! This is a training mission./ Sakura asked.  
  
Explain this training mission. Team 7 explained their mission about finding the bells. They even quoted Kakashi-sensei a few times. Interesting choice for training mission. Though it seems it would be good practice for teamwork.  
  
/Our worst skill./ Sakura sighed.  
  
Then lets make it your best. Come to Naruto's apartment. Thought, first go get your friend, Rock Lee. He looks rather lonely and sad sitting on the bench by himself.  
  
===-----====-----====------=====-------=====-----=====----====----===----- ===-----====-----  
  
It was dark and no one has seen Team 7 since one in the afternoon. Though they have been through sometime afterward. All the bells were gone.  
  
"Everyone was distracted when their bells were taken. Correct?" Kakashi-sensei asked the Rookie genin, their senseis, and Jiraiya. Everyone nodded. They were at the bridge where Team 7 usually meet.  
  
"Don't forget they pulled pranks on us, also." Ino said having her headband cover her newly multi-color hair.  
"I heard your team is missing, Kakashi." Tsunada said appearing on the bridge with a team of Anbu.  
  
"Just a training mission, Hokage-sama." Kakashi said.  
  
"You are suppose to keep an eye on them, especially Sasuke. People will start to panic, again, if you don't find him and the others very quickly." The fifth Hokage said.  
  
TBC.........  
  
I hope you enjoyed that. Please Review. If you have any questions, just post them in the Review or email me at ketsueki_karasu@hotmail.com  
JA NE!!! 


	3. Five Minutes

Karasu's mindspeech  
  
'Sasuke's mindspeech'  
  
:Naruto's mindspeech:  
  
/Sakura's mindspeech/  
  
This just means thought without broadcasting it to everyone, said the Author  
  
Chapter 3: Five Minutes  
  
"You are suppose to keep an eye on them, especially Sasuke. People will start to panic, again, if you don't find him and the others very quickly." Five figures in the nearby trees of the bridge heard the Fifth Hokage say.  
  
"Five minutes until package arrival." Sakura whispered. She was sitting on a branch with her back against the tree trunk. Her mind was occupied with going over today's events.  
  
++Flashback++  
  
Once Team 7 gathered Rock Lee, and all went to Naruto's apartment. Not surprisingly, the place was a little messy. Karasu was there with a bag.  
  
"Hey." Karasu greeted.  
  
"Oh...I've seen you around!" Lee said.  
  
"I am sure everyone here has seen me around at one time or another. I do shop for food and other things." Karasu said.  
  
"We are here." Sasuke said.  
  
"Aye, I see that, Obvious-kun." Karasu tossed the bag to the genins. "Rule number when learning to work together, wear something similar to your teammates, yet, make it you. Here are some outfits I used to wear. Yes, Lee, you can join in on the fun."  
  
++End Flashback++  
  
Four minutes until package delivery, Sasuke said to himself in his head.  
  
Sasuke had to admit wearing something different than his usual attire was fun and it seemed to bring a different side of himself out. Who knew pulling pranks were not only fun, but they help you improve your skills. Though he only expressed the idea of tye-dying the Yamanka girl's hair, it was Sakura who actually did it, with great glee. There was more than just clothes that Karasu-chan helped with them with.  
  
++Flashback++  
  
"Great choices in clothes. It might be fun to add make-up, but that be later. Rule number two, the best way to practice teamwork is cooking, cleaning, and evacuating places. Since the last one isn't a option at this moment, we'll start with cleaning Naruto's place. Start with couch. Two lift. One picks up the big trash. One vacuums." Karasu said sitting back at the table chair.  
  
"How about Sasuke and Lee lift. Naruto you pick up all the trash. And I'll vacuum." Sakura said.  
"Why you vacuum?" Naruto asked. "Why don't you pick up the trash?"  
  
"It is your mess. We shouldn't have to clean up after you...you slob!"  
  
"Take that back...big forehead!"  
  
"I am not dealing with this." Sasuke said starting to leave.  
  
Lee just stood there confused on what to do. Isn't this suppose to be a team effort? He said to himself. "Why can't we just work together?" He didn't realize he said that out loud.  
  
"Because, if one says something that counteracts what another says, they just blow up. Not literary." Karasu said. "Thank you Naruto for helping me demonstrating that."  
  
"Huh, sure." Naruto said, slightly confused.  
  
"Sakura, everything under the couch, I placed there. Now, I am going to do this once. And only once. You must learn to overcome differences. And must learn to see the skills available. Sasuke, Naruto, you two hold up the couch. Lee, you pick up everything under the couch. Sakura, you vacuum."  
  
++End Flashback++  
  
Naruto held up three fingers to Karasu, to say three minutes until there package arrives. Today had to have been one of the best days of his life. Not only is he working better with his teammates and Lee, he learned something new about his self-proclaimed Guardian. Even though Karasu looked twelve or so, he knew that the guy was older than that. Way older.  
  
++Flashback++  
  
"Say, Karasu-chan, are you from Leaf?" Sakura asked as they afternoon snack.  
  
"No. I traveled here many years ago." Karasu answered quietly.  
  
"Where are you from?" Lee asked.  
  
"Some where very far away and I am not going to tell. Any more questions?"  
  
"Dislikes, likes, dreams, goals...the usual." Naruto said.  
  
Karasu laughed. It was several minutes before he managed to calm himself down. "Gomen, gomen. You just reminded me of an old student of mine who said the very exact thing when I started to teach her. Pretty little thing with a obsession for blood."  
  
"What happened to her?" Sakura asked.  
  
"She ended up going crazy and cutting out her own heart. Her parents blamed me and moved away."  
  
There was silence.  
  
"Gomen."  
  
"Don't apologize for something that didn't even happen in this village and you weren't even around for. Lets see...I dislike many people knowing about me and sleeping. I like flirting. And I used to have this dream that I would be clothes designer. My entire family was not happy with that so I worked my dream with making the very clothes you and I wear."  
  
++End Flashback++  
  
Any time know, three kids would be delivering the package. Lee sighed. He thought today was going to be boring with Gai, Tenten, and Neji helping Kakashi with a project. When team 7 had asked him to join them for their side of the project, he was thrilled. Not only was he not going to be bored, but got to spend time with...Sakura. Tomorrow would hopefully be as good as today.  
  
++Flashback++  
  
"Sakura...will you have lunch with me tomorrow?" Lee asked really fast. He had asked to talk with Sakura in the kitchen during their snack time. Silence. "Go..."  
  
"I would love to." Sakura answered. There was a slight blush on her face.  
  
"YEAH!" Lee yelled punching the air.  
  
Out in the living room, the other boys were quietly finishing snack with smirks.  
  
++End Flashback++  
  
Bells rattling in a box were heard as three kids carried a box to the group on the bridge. Everyone on the bridge turned to their attention to the kids. It was Konohamaru and his gang. "Leader, said these were to go to Kakashi-sensei." The boy said.  
"Thank you, Konohamaru-kun." Kakashi said taking the box. He opened it to reveal the bells and a note. "A note. 'Mission completed. Be on time, we won't wait. Team 7.'"  
  
Bed now. Someone tell, Lee. Also, meet Naruto's place tomorrow after dark. Tell Lee that also.  
  
TBC...  
  
Sorry I haven't updated in a long time. I was getting behind in school and I can't do that if I except to graduate this year. Oh, hey, if you have any suggestions/ideas don't hesitate to tell me. I like ideas and if I use yours, I'll make everyone knows it. Later. 


End file.
